Armed forces communications official Abou Thiam said Sunday there were 62 Russians on the boat along with 20 residents of nearby Guinea-Bissau. He said the boat, named the Oleg Naidenov, was found near the border between Senegal and Guinea-Bissau and had been escorted to the port in Dakar.

He said it was the third time in the past week that Senegalese forces had boarded a fishing trawler they said were operating illegally in the country's waters.

Illegal fishing is rampant in West Africa, depleting fish populations and threatening local industries. Regional governments have recently sought help from the United States and European navies to combat the problem.